Caring for your pet the natural way

With many people veering towards sustainable and ethical living, we too are becoming more open towards choosing greener, more eco-friendly options for ourselves, but our pets deserve the same care too. Here are some ways we can keep them healthier and happier.

Pet food

To maintain good pet health it is most important to feed the pet right. It has been discovered that most branded pet foods have low-quality ingredients that should probably not be ingested by your pets. If you dig deeper into the pet food market you’ll find some disturbing facts – many, many ingredients that are used are made from meat by-products that do not pass the consumption test. If you doubt that, use this, a list of all pet food ingredients and their health ratings. You might be surprised to find many of your pet food ingredients being in the ‘worst’ category.

Looking for organic options is the best way to ensure the safety of pet food. care2.com suggests looking out for organic certification from USDA. This way you can make sure the food is free of hormones, GMO and artificial colourings that can be harmful for your pet.

Grooming

Also according to care2.com, what your pet consumes is extremely important but it is just as important to be aware of what takes place on the outside. Pets are very prone to fleas, and using the wrong ingredients can be as harmful for the pets as it is for human skin. A lot of pet-grooming products use the same unsafe ingredients used by humans. Picking out paraben-free soap for yourself? Do the same for your pet. Make sure you check out the natural options that the pet shops offer and select those as alternatives to soaps that employ toxic chemicals. Worth trying is John Masters Organics’ lemongrass and flaxseed pet shampoo, available at Bud Cosmetics.

Also, use non-toxic supplies for the home and lawn as well. Our pets are fond of licking and sprawling themselves on the ground, and those pesticides and cleaning agents you use can make its way into your pet’s mouth and skin.

Cleaning

If you are using a litter box for your cat, do consider making your own litter box out of recycled boxes and other materials. There are also chemical-free litter options in the market.

If you are not fond of using clay because it might clog the drains, instructables.com has a way you can use gravel in your kitty litter.

Dog owners looking for a more eco way of disposing of their poop can refer to petcentric for alternatives to dumping it in the bin. Some suggestions include composting, worm farming, and using a waste digester.

Accessories

No one wants to wear an uncomfortable synthetic band around their necks, especially not your pets. According to lowimpactliving.com, there are stylish collars, beds, blankets and toys available that are actually made from eco-friendly and sustainable materials and organic dyes that are not going to irritate your pet. Opt for this win-win situation, where you get to style your pet fashionably without the need of giving up its creature comforts.

About the SaferSkin campaign

SaferSkin is a Singapore-wide awareness campaign for safer personal care products and cosmetics by non-profit environmental society, Green Drinks Singapore.
We believe that everyone has a fundamental right to non-toxic consumer products for healthy and beautiful skin.
Join us in the push for safer personal care products for you, your family, and not forgetting your pets!